Publication of preliminary data on Official Development Assistance, 2011

Are there differences of methodology between the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the EU? How do we compare data?

The OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) is the ultimate authority that decides if certain expenditure reported to it (by member states or other donors) qualifies as Official Development Assistance (ODA). The DAC is currently composed of 24 members: Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, USA, EU15 countries and the EU.

The DAC press release presents individual data for DAC members and non-DAC OECD members, thereby covering the individual ODA performance of 21 EU Member States. In addition, DAC presents the collective outcome of the 27 EU Member States, without publishing the individual performance of the six EU Member States that are not part of the OECD.

The Commission presents individual data on all EU Member States, including on those whose data are not available through DAC. Otherwise the data published by the OECD and by the Commission are identical. The EU uses the same current price figures as presented by DAC in the publication of preliminary figures for 2011, reconverted from USD to EUR using the DAC exchange rate.

There are two differences in analysing the changes in ODA levels:

The Commission presents and analyses data in Euro values, while the DAC uses US Dollars. As the Euro had appreciated by about 5 percent against the US Dollar between 2010 and 2011, the same amount of EUR converted to USD would give a higher figure in 2011 than in 2010. Therefore DAC data in USD in current prices would show an increase in EU27 ODA (from $70.8 to $73.6 billion) while the EU presentation in EUR shows a decline (from €53.5 to €53 billion). This exchange rate difference in evaluation applies for both global figures and individual Member States.

The Commission uses values in nominal terms (current prices) for presenting changes. The DAC presents data both in constant prices and nominal terms, but calculates changes only in constant prices and exchange rates.

Does the 53 billion ODA include all development funding of the EU?

No, this amount does not include €3.28 billion of non grant concessional net disbursements, since the OECD does not treat them as ODA.

Why is the data preliminary?

The data presented is based on information that OECD and EU Commission have received from Member Sates in recent weeks. Additional information on the details of funds and programmes for 2011 will be reported to and checked by DAC over the course of 2012. Final 2011 ODA figures with detailed breakdown will be published by OECD DAC in late 2012 or early 2013.

Table 1: EU Official Development Assistance 2004-2010

Table 2: EU ODA 2010-2015

Note: Shaded cells contain projections prepared by the European Commission. All other estimates have been provided by Member States.

Graph 1: State of progress towards 2015

Graph 2: Evolution of EU ODA

Graph 3:EU ODA in Global Context

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.

Source: OECD/ DAC data for 1995 – 2011 when available; Commission simulation based on information provided by EU Member States or based on agreed EU commitments 2015.